ISLAMABAD: President Asif Ali Zardari is anticipated to sign the 26th Constitutional Amendment Bill into law today, following the advice of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. The signing ceremony will occur at a time yet to be disclosed by the Aiwan-e-Sadr Secretariat.
This development follows the ruling coalition’s successful passage of the contentious judicial reforms through Parliament, achieving a two-thirds majority with 225 votes in the National Assembly and 65 in the Senate.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif submitted his formal advice to President Zardari in the early hours of Monday after a late-night parliamentary session. The treasury benches, which initially held 211 seats, garnered support from the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) and independent lawmakers, allowing them to reach the required 224 votes for the amendment.
Key Features of the Legislation:
- Chief Justice Tenure: Fixed at three years.
- Constitutional Benches: Establishment of benches at the Supreme Court (SC) and high courts.
- Presiding Officer: The senior-most judge of each bench will serve in this capacity.
- Judicial Committee: A parliamentary committee will nominate the new Chief Justice from a panel of the three most senior judges, with the Prime Minister forwarding the name to the President for final approval.
- Judicial Appointments: The Judicial Commission of Pakistan (JCP), led by the Chief Justice and three others, will oversee the appointment of Supreme Court judges and monitor their performance, reporting any issues to the Supreme Judicial Council.
- Interest Eradication: A commitment to completely eradicate Riba (interest) from the country by January 1, 2028.
This amendment marks a significant step in Pakistan’s judicial reform efforts, with broad implications for the country’s legal framework.
